used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A DAY IN THE WOODS Mollie crept to the door of their hut at sunrise next morning.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading Only the birds had begun to stir in their nests and call their morning greetings across from one tree top to another.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading Yet when Mollie peeped outside no one was in sight; all was silence.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Only the birds had begun to stir in their nests and call their morning greetings across from one tree top to another.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading Only the birds had begun to stir in their nests and call their morning greetings across from one tree top to another.
in a state of sleep
From this reading The other girls were fast asleep, worn out by the long trip of the day before.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading A DAY IN THE WOODS Mollie crept to the door of their hut at sunrise next morning.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading The other girls were fast asleep, worn out by the long trip of the day before.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading Only the birds had begun to stir in their nests and call their morning greetings across from one tree top to another.
plural of “bird” — warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading Only the birds had begun to stir in their nests and call their morning greetings across from one tree top to another.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The other girls were fast asleep, worn out by the long trip of the day before.
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading Only the birds had begun to stir in their nests and call their morning greetings across from one tree top to another.
inflected form of “creep” — move slowly; in the case of people or animals with the body near the ground
From this reading A DAY IN THE WOODS Mollie crept to the door of their hut at sunrise next morning.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading A DAY IN THE WOODS Mollie crept to the door of their hut at sunrise next morning.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading A DAY IN THE WOODS Mollie crept to the door of their hut at sunrise next morning.
quickly or rapidly (often used as a combining form)
From this reading The other girls were fast asleep, worn out by the long trip of the day before.
footfalls
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She thought she heard light footfalls outside their door.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Only the birds had begun to stir in their nests and call their morning greetings across from one tree top to another.
plural of “girl” — a young female
From this reading The other girls were fast asleep, worn out by the long trip of the day before.
greetingsnounUS /ˈɡriːtɪŋz/
plural of “greeting” — (usually plural) an acknowledgment or expression of good will (especially on meeting)
From this reading Only the birds had begun to stir in their nests and call their morning greetings across from one tree top to another.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Only the birds had begun to stir in their nests and call their morning greetings across from one tree top to another.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading She thought she heard light footfalls outside their door.
temporary military shelter
From this reading A DAY IN THE WOODS Mollie crept to the door of their hut at sunrise next morning.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A DAY IN THE WOODS Mollie crept to the door of their hut at sunrise next morning.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading She thought she heard light footfalls outside their door.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading The other girls were fast asleep, worn out by the long trip of the day before.
MollienounUS /ˈmɑːli/
popular aquarium fish
From this reading A DAY IN THE WOODS Mollie crept to the door of their hut at sunrise next morning.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading A DAY IN THE WOODS Mollie crept to the door of their hut at sunrise next morning.
nestsnounUS /nests/
plural of “nest” — a structure in which animals lay eggs or give birth to their young
From this reading Only the birds had begun to stir in their nests and call their morning greetings across from one tree top to another.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading A DAY IN THE WOODS Mollie crept to the door of their hut at sunrise next morning.
not any; not one
From this reading Yet when Mollie peeped outside no one was in sight; all was silence.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A DAY IN THE WOODS Mollie crept to the door of their hut at sunrise next morning.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Yet when Mollie peeped outside no one was in sight; all was silence.
and nothing more
From this reading Only the birds had begun to stir in their nests and call their morning greetings across from one tree top to another.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading The other girls were fast asleep, worn out by the long trip of the day before.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading The other girls were fast asleep, worn out by the long trip of the day before.
relating to or being on or near the outer side or limit
From this reading She thought she heard light footfalls outside their door.
peepedverbUS /piːpt/
past form of “peep” — look furtively
From this reading Yet when Mollie peeped outside no one was in sight; all was silence.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She thought she heard light footfalls outside their door.
an instance of visual perception
From this reading Yet when Mollie peeped outside no one was in sight; all was silence.
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading Yet when Mollie peeped outside no one was in sight; all was silence.
move an implement through
From this reading Only the birds had begun to stir in their nests and call their morning greetings across from one tree top to another.
sunrisenounUS /ˈsʌnraɪz/
the first light of day
From this reading A DAY IN THE WOODS Mollie crept to the door of their hut at sunrise next morning.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A DAY IN THE WOODS Mollie crept to the door of their hut at sunrise next morning.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading A DAY IN THE WOODS Mollie crept to the door of their hut at sunrise next morning.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading She thought she heard light footfalls outside their door.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A DAY IN THE WOODS Mollie crept to the door of their hut at sunrise next morning.
the upper part of anything
From this reading Only the birds had begun to stir in their nests and call their morning greetings across from one tree top to another.
a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading Only the birds had begun to stir in their nests and call their morning greetings across from one tree top to another.
a journey for some purpose (usually including the return)
From this reading The other girls were fast asleep, worn out by the long trip of the day before.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Yet when Mollie peeped outside no one was in sight; all was silence.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The other girls were fast asleep, worn out by the long trip of the day before.
at the time that
From this reading Yet when Mollie peeped outside no one was in sight; all was silence.
the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading A DAY IN THE WOODS Mollie crept to the door of their hut at sunrise next morning.
Damaged or thinned by continuous use.
From this reading The other girls were fast asleep, worn out by the long trip of the day before.
but in spite of that
From this reading Yet when Mollie peeped outside no one was in sight; all was silence.
